American Idol in ratings decline

So Simon is moving on to “X Factor,” Ellen is starting a record label, and the “American Idol” ratings are down significantly. Some called it a particularly bland season. Many are disenchanted with the system, claiming the voting method is a mess, that multiple callers essentially stuffing the ballot box have skewed the results.

While it’s still a huge force in television and a major source of revenue and promotional platform for Fox, executives there have to be worried about the future.

To be honest, I dipped in and out of “Idol” this season, lacking enthusiasm for the personalities and voices. And I wasn’t alone. While 24 million is still a huge audience in network TV, it paled next to what “Idol” had been scoring.

This year’s finale was the lowest rated in the show’s nine-year history (in the 18-49-year-old demo that advertisers target).
This list from TVbytheNumbers lays out the figures:

Gee, only 22 million viewers? What a disaster!! It was still the highest rated show that evening. You need to see that the glass is filled with 22 million viewers not lacking 3 million viewers. American Idol will do fine. Steve Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are definitely wonderful additons to the panel of judges.

Duco Jansen

Gee, only 22 million viewers? What a disaster!! It was still the highest rated show that evening. You need to see that the glass is filled with 22 million viewers not lacking 3 million viewers. American Idol will do fine. Steve Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are definitely wonderful additons to the panel of judges.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.